New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-06-15
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
cppENo1rGH THE SCULPTOR.


I6mo, PIP. 25o Ticknor & Co.
This interesting volume will be none the less
valued because it is unconventional, informal
and, a severe critic might say, biograPhlcaiv oo
fcctive The sketch Of the life Of the sculptor Is
indeed very slight-barely full enough 70 explain
the letters, and some Of the correspondence nson
has but questionable claim to place LII 0he
collecton Yet the glimTses Of character, tempera-
,nent and manners opened in this budget OF Family
papers are so pleasant that one could hardly WISH
for a change in the manner OF presentment. III
the book had been more thoroughly composed IL
would perhaps not have been so natural anu
Impressive. Its revelation OF Horatlo Gieenoush
Is by no means complete. but what 1t docs reVeai
is altogether attractive. Greenough was iian u
strone affections elevated mind, broad sympathies'
generous impulses, and extensive culture LID
knowledge of art was only part of that general
srtauactual eouinment which he held to be essen
tial for success in any of the higher calings lie
WAS distinguished for his refined accomplish
snents at q time when this country offered lar
fewer advantages to persons OF taste than IL holds
out now He possessed considerable literary aptl
tude, exhibited not only in his critical observa-
tions but in some singularly fine passages Oh
description His powers of appreciation were no
doubt expanded by his early association WIN
Washington AllstOn, whose intimate trlendshp nc
cnjoyed in youth, and whose memory he chersheu
Nth n lasting yeperation When he made his
first visit to Italy in 1925 at the age OF twenty
no was well fitted to understand the rich world
there opened to him. and he proved on his return
few years later that he had thrown away none
of his opportunities. His celebrity may DC sald
10 have begun with his bust of President John
Quincy Adams, executed in 1928. pleassn'
Illustration of Greenoughs cordial relations WIN
his brother artists lof none of whom did he ever
show the slightest jealousy Is given In l"tter
describing Mr. Adams's first sitting. "tChesterj
Harding is here he says, "and being desirous
Of studying upon an unfinished head' 1 onereo W
allow MIN to paint while / was modelling" Some
of the remarks on Mr.. Adams by the young
sculptor very acute:
Mr.. Adams is very agreeable as SITTER; ne
talks all the while has seen much Oh aiV uio
artists and remembers everything. lie told me inc
dates of Copley's life. and even corrected me WIN
regard to 1horwaldsen. His enthusiasm ne was
very eager this morning in describing lhe uihe .
nnce between Stuart and Gerard is OF the mead
shall not ATTEMPT las Sully and others have done
tn make him look cheerful He does not ana
cannot Gravity Is natural TO him. ana sniiie
looks i'll at home.
, I'm another letter he says Of the President: lie
nonyersed in the most animated manner on afchl
lecture and confirmed me in the OPINION th%
the highest reasoning powers cannot pierce ene
circle of beauty, however usefully they may act
for directors Here is description of dinner
at the White House.
7 dined Yesterday ut the Presidents. The party
consisted Of about twenty me noefs OF Oohsiess
ID twenty gentlemen from different parts of the
country Commodore Huh, General Gaines Secre
tary Stothard. Patterson and Gilmore were among
the guests The furniture was III The gout frur
caisn An enormous gilt waiter, with many vases
fprIrpS in different dulluUeS
holding candles, gave light to the whole table
We sat down at O'Clock and had every variety
of fish, flesh and fowl / cannot pronounce on
the canvasbaclSs. for they had been poned anu
cut in slices: | took them for cake. We had
Every drinlxabe under the sun-porter,
cider. claret. sherry, Burgundy. champagne Iokay
ard the choicest Madeira that ever passed my
larynx We came away about TO- Inc Hitle
hearty conversation testing and Storytelling that
there was happened in my neighborhood was
next but one to the Presidents son John Harding
who has several times dined WITH rnSai uui>e'
saws he never saw anything in better s'yle'
tireenough passed back and forth several times
between America and Europe, his principal nome
in the latter country being at Florence "herc
he found thu most stimulating art atmos-
pbere and tie most congenial society lie
speaks of other American artists INTO
whose company he was thrown there
with uniform respect and often with an enthusl-
estic appreciation of their strong qualities hiram
Powers Thomas Cole and Samuel F. Is. Morse are
among those whose names most frequently occur
in his letters In Europe also Greenough con
tracted O warm friendship with the novelist Cooper
which lasted until the latters death
The book gives very little of the history OF the
colossal Washington at the national capitol, or OF
the yexations and afronts to which the artist was
in his dealings with the Government
There are interesting references to the work.
however, in several of the letters. Gpenough
writes 10 his brother:
Have told you of the immense difficulty have
had in composing e. suitable chair for my figure
have drawn and modelled quantities OF roDa'
but the instant L saw my Colossus on his DOCK
[ nc chair came to me. 1t is thus: You VIII see
By this sketch that the form gives breadth and
grandeur Of masses. and has none of that french
cir which sinncd in my first DRAWING. nave
found it necessary, while adhcring TO the way or
dressing the hair which you observe In the por-
traits of Washington. TO Oren and loosen u more
about the head. smooth head looks weak ana
mean of that size. | am satisfied of the excellence
of the authorities for the head there Is hue
difference in them but that of are
With respect to the discussions about the best
position for the statue, the sculptor wrote Us
follows to the Hon Robert c. Winthrop:
1 will endeavor to speak briefly as l can. That
ST atue was designed for the interior of building
and not for the open air. Had been ordered TO
make a statue for square or other similar
situation at the metropolis / should have repre-
sented Washington on horseback and in his usual
dress and have made my work purely historical
one have treated the subject POLITICALLY, and
confess / should feel pain at seeing 1t placed IN
direct and fragrant contrast with everyday me-
Moreover, modelled the figure without reference
TO an exposure to rain and FROST so there arc many
parts of the statue where water would collect and
soon disintegTate and rot the stone. II 1t did not
by freezing split of large FRAGMENTS of the
drapery which, indeed. it would be almost sue
to do.
II the statue must be uncovered beg leave to
say that | by far prefer its actual site to any
other in the public grounds. l think IL would
perish in the open air. but / prefer its pelishinr
where it stands. On the site of the Naval
Monument ii would be u DISADVANTAGE from
the walk below. and would show mOst unhappily